Awesome Adventures with Robin & Steve

2006-12-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

And Cinnabon says you can't beat grass and bone fetching either.

2006-12-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

Here's dad, notice the classy walkway and grassy digs, sure beats negative temps on thankgiving! Thanks dad.

2006-12-28T21:41:00.000-08:00

After a 1200 mile trip, Cinnabon knows how to make herself at home.

2006-12-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving we loaded up the home-away-from-home and headed for Lousianna. Warmer temps and more importantly family.

2006-12-28T21:36:00.000-08:00

Finally got the garage painted, just in time, it is a little more subtle than the old salmon, brown and red motif.

2006-12-28T21:32:00.001-08:00

And the payoff at trails end was unmatched, a pristine lake among the high mountain peaks, this is a trail we will certainly be visitiing again!

2006-12-28T21:32:00.000-08:00

As you can see we had some early changing colors on this very enjoyable trail. We had a mix of terrain, some old structures...

2006-12-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Later in the summer we had the opportunity to go wheelin with Rich and Vonda. This is the most difficult spot on the Grizzly lake trail. Immediately after crossing a stream you have a large, loose shelf to climb.

2006-12-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

Took our "new to us" Artic Fox camper for its shake down trip. We stayed on the creek at the campground we worked for last summer. Why did we buy a house... ;)

2006-12-28T21:26:00.000-08:00

But when you roll a Jeep you can pretty much count on a destroyed fender, ruined top and various other crumpled tin. But the driver was OK.

2006-12-28T21:25:00.000-08:00

And a lone Jeep almost found out how far, he had gotten to close to the edge and rolled over, fortunately he caught a couple of trees or he would have rolled over and over and over for many hundreds of feet. Between our winch and the Rubicon's winch we were able to get the fallen Jeep back on the wheels and up to the road.

2006-12-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

It was a nice summer day, Robin and I headed out to Hayden Pass... you might ask what we are doing here. Well we came upon this orange jeep across the road and wondered what was going on. You see, the left side of this road drops down a mountainside for a VERY long way.

2006-12-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

Later in the day after completing Williams pass, exploring Alpine and returning via Hancock pass, we visited the Mary Murphy mill (the mine is in the upper right of the picture).

2006-12-28T21:18:00.000-08:00

Williams pass ends near the Alpine tunnel, a working railway tunnel at about 12,000ft in 1881. The tunnel collapsed in the following winter and was not reopened, this is the restored station today.

2006-12-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

When I say rough, its fair to say the suspension got a good workout.

2006-12-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

Later the same day we explored Williams Pass. This route is only open for 30 days each year, it is very rough, but extremely beautiful.

2006-12-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

Our friends Steve and Angie came out to visit this summer as well. So we and our friend Rich did some Jeeping with them. This is the Allie Belle mine off of Hancock Road. The building has been sitting in this precarious position for many years.

2006-12-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is a well-equiped and restored early Bronco, built by our friends Bud and Carolyn.

2006-12-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

Lest we forget, we did do some wheelin this summer, here we are near the Hancock townsite, life is a little more natural at 10,000ft and above...

2006-12-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

This is the finished product, a new pad, retaining block, driveway rock and cleared a few trees, reshaped the side hill a bit. The garage is soon to be painted as well (we aren't too fond of the salmon, brown, barn red combo;)

2006-12-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

To finish our garage landscaping and front pad we had to bring in some equipment. This was the trucks first real workout. There is about 2800lbs of block in the bed and about 11,000lbs of excavator/trailer behind.

2006-12-28T20:58:00.000-08:00

Had a great visit with Darrin and Sarah. Darrin is Steve's HS buddy. Darrin and Sarah got married last year and this year moved from Boston to San Diego. They routed us into their cross country trip. It was such a great time to visit. The picture is on top of Bald Mtn, overlooking the Arkansas valley and 14ers in the distance. About 30 minutes after this shot we had the first mechanical failure EVER in the Jeep, as the crank sensor died. Our guests were very gracious as we tracked down help, got it fixed, had lunch. We took a 30 mile trek through the woods and fields and lots of mud as it rained all afternoon -- no doors, no windows and Sarah's giggling as we splashed through each mud hole... all the way home, where we had hot chocolate and sat by the fire to warm up in July!

2006-12-28T20:51:00.001-08:00

A chiminea evening...

2006-12-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

So here is the finished product on the front yard landscaping. A little concrete, a little patio furniture, a chiminea and a LOT of red rock.

2006-07-15T15:27:00.001-07:00

The forms are set for the concrete to be poured next week. Yea!

2006-07-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

He really wanted to move this rock-and he did! Steve is so happy to be able to move these rocks!

2006-07-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Then use a loader to move the rock around-Steve loves the machine! He had to find uses for it. And he did.

2006-06-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

Well, you knew we wouldn't be without a camper for long. Since we have a Ford F350 crew cab long bed diesel truck we figured a truck camper would be a good choice, and a trailer to tow the Jeep on. We got an Arctic Fox with a slide-our first motorhome or camper with one! It's very nice inside and we look forward to many fun trips....soon...

2006-06-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Appreciate why we love living here so much. Thank you Lord!

2006-06-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Get the rock delivered.

2006-06-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

The start of the landscaping-dig out weeds, lay the fabric.

2006-06-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

We were able to do Weston Pass from Fairplay to Leadville on June 17th. It was a beautiful, but windy day. We did a big loop from Fairplay to Leadville, down to Buena Vista for lunch, and back to Hartsel on all back roads through Four Mile. So fun in the Jeep-topless.

2006-06-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

Bud's "new" Bronco.

Hancock or Bust...Bust

2006-06-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

June 5, 2006-tried to make Hancock Pass way too early with Bud & Carolyn in the "new" Bronco and new friends Bill & Debbie in their Jeep. All of us with our dogs. Had a nice morning and had lunch, but way too much snow up on Hancock to do the Pass.

2006-05-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

And now the garage has no more trash around it to impede Steve starting the siding. He'll be starting around Memorial Day weekend. It will look so much better...we can't wait. He is putting 2 more windows in first. This is the first one.

2006-05-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

We decided to finally just take the last of the JUNK to the dump and pay to rid ourselves of it, so we loaded up the truck and we drove to Chaffee County Dump. For $28 we got rid of all of it! All the rest of the scrap metal and the tires. Yea!!!!

BBQ Time!

2006-04-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

Now that we have a house we figured we'd better get a real grown-up BBQ grill. I think we did ok. Yum Yum. Another gorgeous spring day in Hartsel, CO.

Budd, Carolyn, and Chico visit

2006-04-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Budd and Carolyn came to visit on Tuesday evening. They came back for a few days...then they are going to do some traveling and come back in May. We had a great dinner and the dogs were happy to see each other and Cinnabon was happy to be with her other friends.

2006-04-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

The visit to see Lisa to celebrate her birthday was great. Here's Stu, Dad, Lisa, Emily, and Robin (3 generations) at Lisa's Birthday celebration.

2006-03-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

And here is what it looks like as of today, the log is complete and the views are still magnificent through our huge living room window.

2006-03-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

Well I thought I do a comparison of when we bought the garage -- pictured here

2006-02-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

2 cars in the garage parked on a real floor! WOW! and look how much more room there is! Steve's now framing for the door that's going in the rear corner to make it easier to get to the house.

2006-02-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

A rustic new light fixture and log siding make this look a lot more like the mountain cabin it really is!

2006-02-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

2 sides completed...looking like a different house!

2006-02-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

The beginning of the log siding. Steve ripped off the peach (pink) color crappy siding and we are having this really nice log siding put up. It looks better in Tyvek!!!

2006-02-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

A chapter in this story ends. It started back on August 16, 2004 and ended February 6, 2006. The RV was sold to a couple from California. May they have as many adventures as we did.

2006-01-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

On January 25, 2006 we got our barn floor poured making the barn a garage. A clean and useful space.

2006-01-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Mt Princeton's peak from our front yard...

2006-01-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Check out these large shades-each are 97" wide.

2006-01-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

Got a little snow on Thursday (about 6"). Our first winter snow. Made everything look pristine and it was so clear and beautiful the next day.

2006-01-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

And once again, the deer come by to say hello!

2006-01-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

Finally got the new front door and hardware up. We had a 50 degree day! It will look way better with the new siding and trim, but the new hardware is beautiful and we get great light into the entry now.

2006-01-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

So, we put up window coverings on the living room windows. In the afternoon the sun is so strong that you literally can't sit in the room or work in the kitchen. We chose cell shades for their insulation value in a pretty olive color that complements the rest of the decor.

2006-01-03T12:17:00.001-08:00

The dresser...we have a bigger bedroom than in the motorhome :-)

2006-01-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

Now we have bedroom furniture also...and Steve is finishing the window trim!

2005-12-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

This was our Merry Christmas! Robin and I drove to Louisianna to visit my Great Grandmother and my parents. As you can see we had plenty of good foods and great fellowship with the family.

2005-12-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

The built-in is completed, the carpet is completed and its starting to look a lot like home.

2005-12-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

When you enter the dining area you can see our new table and the wonderful views that inspired this project.

2005-12-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

As you turn the corner in the entry toward the dining/living area this is what you see... lots of T&G, more cool coat hooks and lots of natural light.

2005-12-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

For an update on the house... here is entry view through the front door. The T&G is done, the new bench is in and we put up our bear coat hooks.

2005-12-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

Well if you've seen the archived photos of the garage you know this is a small miracle. When we left for our Christmas trip I put the truck and the Jeep in the garage and still had room for all of our other stuff. The garage gets a concrete floor the end of January and this will become a very useful place.

2005-12-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

Our beautiful new living room furniture is comfy for Cinnabon too!

2005-12-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

View #2 of the finished bathroom...the empty space to the left (where the paper goods are) will be shelves for towels and bathroom necessities.

2005-12-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

View #1 of the completed bathroom-except for trim. The floors came out great.

2005-12-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

The hearth is finished...just waiting for carpet. We will have furniture shortly after the carpet on the 12th! We took a road trip to Colorado Springs to Furniture Row and got living room and bedroom furniture.We have a C.O. We can live in the house! Yea!

2005-11-26T15:29:00.000-08:00

The deer that hang out in our yard. As long as Cinnabon is in the house, they'll stay nearby.

2005-11-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

A really fully functional bathroom.

2005-11-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

The finished kitchen-except for paint touch up and backsplash, it is fully functional. Looks nice, doesn't it?

2005-11-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

The finished doors in the entry. The smaller one is the closet and the larger one is the master bedroom entrance. It goes into a hallway and the master bedroom closet is to the left. The bedroom is a pretty good size-much bigger than the motorhome! :-)

2005-11-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

Cinnabon says that the bed in the 2nd bedroom works for her-she has the views of the deer and a cozy spot to hang out. This is where we spent our first night on Thanksgiving.

2005-11-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

Our second bedroom has a floor..we went with Pergo. Steve wanted it to be done, so he also installed the trim also.

2005-11-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

The bathroom gets it's tile. Looking good!

2005-11-22T15:05:00.000-08:00

Check out our really cool track lights-they are oil rubbed bronze just like the fans and all the knobs!

2005-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

And we have really nice doors!

2005-11-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

Now the counter top tiling is complete-Steve found really nice slate mosaic tiles that we cut to put on the edge.

Sharing the land with the animals

2005-11-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

More deer that are out there by our house in Hartsel at Ranch of the Rockies.

2005-11-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

The beginning of the built in entertainment center. Yes, we did get a real TV to put on it.

2005-11-15T10:54:00.000-08:00

Really beginning to look like a kitchen now. We chose to use the same tile on the countertop as on the floor, but just the grays.

2005-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

On the way up to the house each day Steve & Cinnabon see the deer playing across the street.

2005-11-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

Next step-tile the kitchen & dining area-we figured that then we could put in all the appliances and not move them again.

Things that make it easier to enjoy...

2005-11-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

It is interesting that over a month ago we got 14 inches of snow that melted in about 4 days and since then nothing of note. It has been dry and in the 60 degree area for highs. After the time change I have been seeing sunsets like this on a daily basis... God's still got the market cornered on majesty!

Almost a bathroom

2005-11-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

The bathroom is now entirely painted, has a toilet, shower surround and the vanity is in. It should be a fully working bathroom within the week!

Kitchen

2005-11-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to that insulation and the pellet stove Steve has been able to continue working, the kitchen is coming along well (thanks to Zach and Gene for the help hanging the uppers). Next up, learning to do a tile countertop.

CUBED HAM

2005-11-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

So we finally got the place insulated. As it turns out, after some research, CUBED HAM is amongst the most efficient insulation. Appearently this is where the term "fat and happy" came from, owing itself to how pigs stay warm in frozen mud baths....

Light fixtures

2005-10-31T14:38:00.000-08:00

Steve hung one of our ceiling fans. I think it looks pretty cool and the view isn't bad either. We are excited about the prospect of living here.

2005-10-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Toilet works and we have our solar tube in and brightening the bathroom.

The ceiling is done!

2005-10-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

The ceiling is done and Robin started priming and then painted the kitchen walls so that Steve could put the cabinets up and she would not have to tape to paint-it will all be done. Still need one more coat. Is this not getting gorgeous?

Hearth and Home

2005-10-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the pellet stove installed and running to heat the house. The tiles are to have it at the level it will be at when we tile the corner.

2005-10-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

After just 3 days the ceiling is almost done. Sheetrock is all textured and ready for Robin to prime.

Ceilings

2005-10-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

So, then Steve started the ceiling. Thank you to Brad for lending his scaffolding so Steve would be safe! This is looking incredible! That's our awesome new Castille pellet stove in the corner. It will be on a hearth, but it will provide needed heat until we are ready to do floors.

2005-10-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

Looking from the entry into the great room.

The Entry

2005-10-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

Steve decided the entry was boring, so he did 3 walls in T&G. Cinnabon is standing facing the front door, in front of the closet. The other doorway is into the master bedroom - it goes into a hall and then into the bedroom itself.

Drywall

2005-10-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

So, next day- here is all the drywall. They did the bedrooms, bathroom and the kitchen up to 7 feet and this area between the posts. Starting to look house like!

Looking into the kitchen

2005-10-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Day 3-more changes to the walls. This is looking into the kitchen. Steve did T&G above 7 feet to tie it all in. The sheetrock leaning there will go in the next day.

A bit more of a view

2005-10-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

It really is a major change to not see insulation!

Inside transforming

2005-10-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Steve spent some time putting up this beautiful tongue and groove aspen by himself. He is using an air nailer. This was his second day.

It really is gorgeous

2005-10-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

This is the view from the road we are living on. It's also our view from the back porch and the windows of the house. Hard to take?

View from the Shell same morning!

2005-10-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

About 12" up in Hartsel. Steve was the first one on some roads that Columbus Day morning driving through 12 inches of unplowed new snow!.

To snow

2005-10-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

Two days later...the first snow in Nathrop about 2 inches. It was melted by afternoon.

Foliage can so easily change

2005-10-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

The pretty foliage from Budd & Carolyn's home, where we are living while we are building up in Hartsel.